Large-scale photovoltaic systems in airports areas: safety concerns

The development of large-scale Photovoltaic energy-production systems is one of the promising solutions to replace fuel-based and nuclear-based electricity plants. Compared to most sources of electricity, photovoltaic panels produce few CO2 in operation (although their manufacturing, transport, installation, cleaning and decommissioning/recycling creates CO2 emissions), they need little maintenance, last 20 years or more and can be recycled.One of the key questions raised in developing large-scale PV systems is to find appropriate locations: flat, secured against vandalism and thieves, and near to existing power lines.Airports areas fit quite well those constraints so an increasing number of airport authorities is installing or planning to install large surfaces of PV panels producing 20 MW or more.In this paper, we address the safety concerns related to the implementation of large-scale PV systems in airport locations. We identify different kinds of risky situations in which PV panels are implied and we analyze their causes and potential consequences, along with proposals for risk reduction.